It had been a long hour.

Ezra had kicked Logan's butt at every game he was presented with.

Mario Kart had quickly been abandoned to help settle Logan who looked he was on the verge the using the force to throw something. It probably would've been Ezra.

Now, after trial and error, Logan had put on a game called Rocket League that was quickly becoming Ezra's new favourite. Logan was still competitive as ever, but it wasn't aimed at Ezra this time as they were teamed up. The opposition was two of Logan's friends, Connor and Shane, who'd keenly agreed to the game, eager to beat Logan who was the raining champion. And with a newbie as Logan's partner, they thought it was going to be easy.

They had been so wrong.

"YOOOOOOOOOO! EZRA SCORES AGAIN!" Logan hollered pumping a fist into the air

"HELL YEAH!" Ezra laughed, high fiving Logan with gusto. "That was such a good shot!"

"I saw it!" Logan grinned, giddiness and the satisfaction of victory causing his smile to widen.

"I thought you said Ezra was a newbie!" Connor spoke, his voice coming through the headsets they were wearing.

"I'm a fast learner Connor" Ezra snickered, "guess you guys just aren't as good as you thought you were."

Shane piped up."Okay, just for that insult, we aren't going to go easy on you this time."

"Thanks, but I'm pretty sure Logan and I will win anyway."

Logan laughed, lightly punching Ezra's shoulder. "You're a natural at this."

Ezra looked at him. "The game?"

Logan smiled, "yeah that, and the trash talk."

Ezra snickered. "When you spend a lifetime messing with the imperials, you can come up with some creative insults to throw at them."

"Does Hera and Kanan allow you to?"

"Oh absolutely not, I get in trouble with them all the time."

Logan laughed again, squeezing Ezra's shoulder. "I'm so damn proud of you."

Warmth spread through Ezra and he looked at the ground bashfully, not expecting the sudden praise. "Thanks Lo" he said, trying to hide his smile.

Logan's face split into a grin. "Awww, guys! Ezra can't take compliments for druk."

That earned him a pillow to the face from Ezra.

"Is he blushing or something?" Came Connor's voice.

"Yep, it's so sweet."

"Adorable" Shane cooed.

"Can all of you shut the frick up" Ezra groaned, trying to bury his head in his hands.

"Feisty little guy ain't he?"

"I will end you Connor."

The three older boys laughed at Ezra's threat. Logan ruffled his short air with a smirk.

"Sure you could, blue."

"I can kick your ass in video games and in real life Logan."

"Yeah, keep telling yourself that Bridger, now come on, head in the game, we're in the last ten minutes."

Ezra threw another pillow at him for good measure before picking up his controller.

His thumbs caught the analog sticks and with a few clicks of the buttons, his car sped up to catch the ball Logan sent his way. The vehicle jumped and flipped, hitting the ball towards the goal.

"Logan circle round!" Ezra drove his car to the left while Logan skidded his to go the opposite way.

"Shane! Stop trying to get boosts and get the ball!"

Ezra hit his controllers buttons, getting his car to flip again, moving to score. Connor's car came out of nowhere, the ball redirecting towards the other side of the arena.

"Son of a-! Logan! Go, go, go!" Ezra swerved his car, speeding back towards their goal.

Logan's car drove up the sloped wall of the arena, catching up to the ball when a purple car cut in front of him, taking it.

"Shane!" Logan yelled.

Shane's laughter sounded through the headsets. "Eat my dust bit-"

Ezra's com suddenly beeped making him flick his eyes down before returning to the screen. "Whiplash can you get that?"

The dragon, who had been dozing beside Chaser, stretched his wings with a yawn and hit the receive button. "Yo?"

"Whiplash?"

"Oh, hey Fawn."

"Where's Ezra?"

"Right beside me-"

"SHANE! OH MY GOD!" Logan suddenly shrieked.

The com was silent before a exasperated but fond sigh came through. "Lemme guess, Rocket League?"

"Ding ding ding" Whiplash smirked, "honestly forgot how entertaining it was."

"Ezra's been introduced to the world of video games?"

"Right again."

"An absolute king at it?"

"Three correct answers in a row, you're on fire today Fawn."

"Thanks, but I need you and Ezra to meet me in the library."

Ezra caught that and pulled an headphone off one of his ears. "Fawn, there's just five minutes left and if I leave now, Logan won't survive."

"Hey-"

"How many points are you ahead?"

"None, we're tied, but I scored most of ours."

"Hey-!"

"Just five more minutes Fawn, please?"

Silence again, then a long exhale. "You've got ten, make them count and make me proud."

"Thanks Fawn."

"And make sure Logan doesn't break anything."

"Hey-!"

"Ten minutes Ezra, not a minute more."

Then the line was cut off.

"Right then" Ezra replaced his headphone. "Ten minutes."

Whiplash nudged Chaser to wake up. "Might wanna watch this" he told the dragon, "things are bouta get intense."

Whiplash wasn't wrong.

It was the most heated last five minutes of Rocket League Logan had ever played. Ezra was halfway screaming next to him while he himself was fully screaming. Connor and Shane were close to hysterics themselves, furious button mashing caught in their mics. Whiplash and Chaser were yelling next to them, wings flapping in excitement as the match became more unpredictable.

The ball was flying left and right, never getting close enough to a player to score which kept adrenaline and tension high.

"Sixty seconds!" Whiplash called, alternating between bouncing on his paws and flapping his wings a million times a minute.

"Ezra! Go around left!" Logan ordered, jabbing his fingers to the right.

Ezra took the hint and swerved right, watching Shane's car follow the fake instruction and go left.

"Oh son of a bit-!"

"Go go!" Chaser whooped, grabbing Whiplash in a loose choke hold.

"Logan, you've got Connor incoming!"

The red car was catching up to the green one, and Logan growled before pushing the buttons on his controller.

"Thrirty seconds!" Whiplash yelled, slapping at Chaser excitedly.

Logan's car sped up, struck the ball, then back flipped over Connor's. With a hit of a button, the small rocket launcher popped out of the car's bonnet and released a bomb. It hit Connor's car, throwing his speed and the vehicle off.

"No! You kriff head!"

"Ten seconds!"

"Ezra take the shot!"

Ezra's car burst across the field and with a controlled hit, launched the ball straight into the goal.

"YES!" Logan shrieked pumping his fists into the air and grabbing Ezra and yanking him into a tight embrace. "DRUKKING YES!"

Ezra was laughing, the victory making him giddy as he hugged Logan just as firmly. "We did it!"

"We aced it!" Logan whooped, pulling away and back flipping up onto the back of couch. "We are the kings of Rocket League!"

"You shot me Logan!"

"Kiss my ass Connor!" Logan crowed.

Ezra sank back onto the couch, his smile wide. It was a game, but it felt so satisfying to win. Ezra got why Logan enjoyed playing video games so much. It was exhilarating.

Whiplash punched his shoulder. "Nice work" he smirked. "You were a little sloppy on the last shot though."

Ezra grabbed him around the neck and gave him a noogie making the dragon yell and laugh.

"Take it back!" Ezra taunted, tightening his hold on the squirming reptile.

"Okay! Okay! Fine! I take it back!" Whiplash yelled, tail smacking the back of the couch.

Ezra released him only for the dragon to throw his weight at him and make him land on his back on the couch. Whiplash batted his face with his paws, grinning. "Concede defeat!"

"Never!"

The pair tussled for a little while before agreeing to a truce. Logan was still standing on the couch, talking to Connor and Shane, watching Ezra with a smile.

"Yeah, great job to you too, I'll see you guys later, yep, bye."

"Later guys!" Ezra called into his mic of the headset that sat next to him, thrown off by his fight with Whiplash.

Connor's voice came through, "see ya Ez!"

"Have a good one Ezra."

"You too Shane, bye."

The headsets went quiet and Ezra sat up with an exhale. "Good game Logan."

"Hell yeah it was" Logan ruffled Ezra's hair. "You're a bloody legend you know that?"

"I've been told" Ezra grinned, knocking Logan's hand off.

Logan sat down on the back of the couch. "So what do you think of video games?"

"Love em."

"We did it ladies and gentlemen" Logan put both hands in the air, "we got him."

Ezra chuckled, knocking a fist against Logan's knee. "Thanks for this Logan, I had fun."

Logan dropped a hand onto Ezra's shoulder, the other resting on the couch. "I'm glad, I wanted to give you some time to just enjoy some simple fun."

Logan squeezed his shoulder, a fond but sad look in his green eyes. "You're still a kid Ezra, you deserve time to be one."

Ezra blinked at the Togruta then smiled, patting his hand. "Thank you."

Logan nodded then took his hand from Ezra. "Right, that's my heart to heart for the day."

Ezra laughed at that, standing and stretching, his back popping. "Right, as much as I would love another game, I've got three minutes to get to the library."

"Wonder why Fawn's there...maybe she's looking for a cure for Raxia?" Logan suggested, plugging the controllers in to charge.

"Maybe" Ezra shrugged, giving Chaser a scratch around the horns. "Wouldn't surprise me if she was."

Logan crossed his room and opened the doors to his balcony, followed by the other three. "You can leave this way," Logan said, "me and Chaser have done it loads of times."

Whiplash gave a playful growl, running and leaping off the railing. He soon reappeared at his full size, massive wings creating gusts of wind.

Ezra turned to Logan. "Thanks again, for this."

Logan clapped him on the back. "All good Ez, and hey, if you ever need to get away from the rebellion and do something fun, call me."

Ezra grinned. "I'll have to remember that."

Logan smiled then pulled him in for a hug, squeezing gently. Ezra froze up a little then relaxed in the embrace, bringing his hands up to Logan's shoulder blades

Logan said softly, "I know I haven't known you for that long, but I'm really glad Fawn found you, you're like the brother I've always wanted."

Ezra hid his smile in Logan's shoulder. "Yeah, same goes to you."

They pulled away, giving each other a nod.

"I'll see you round Bridger" Logan held up a fist that Ezra knocked with his own.

"Yeah, I'll keep in touch Krieger" Ezra assured.

He turned to the iron barrier and vaulted over it, landing on Whiplash's back.

Logan lent over the railing, giving a two fingered salute. "Later Ezra."

Ezra waved, seating himself behind Whiplash's head. "Bye Logan."

Hurricane crooned then swept his wings round, heading for the massive library situated by the Great Hall.

"Ah frick, we're late" Ezra said, glancing at the time on his wrist.

"Fawn didn't exactly specify a time Ezra" Whiplash glanced over at the boy.

"She gave me ten minutes, five to finish the game, and five to get there" Ezra told him, "we're two minutes over."

Whiplash snorted. "And you say I'm a stickler for timing."

"You are!" Ezra insisted. "Ever since you became leader of Gold Squadron."

"Yeah but I'm not anymore, am I still a stickler?"

"Obviously you still are- wait what? Hang on Whiplash," Ezra placed a hand on his neck. "What do you mean you're not anymore?"

"I didn't tell you?" Whiplash stopped, looking over his shoulder.

Ezra shook his head, "No? I don't think so?"

Whiplash rumbled lowly. "When we came back to the Rebellion I gave up command to my second in command, Dyxën, he'll do a good job."

"Dyxën? Wasn't he that black dragon with the silver markings? Kinda looked like if kaff and nightmares had a baby?"

Whiplash blanched, almost throwing Ezra off as he wheezed. "Ezra you can't just say stuff like that" he chastised, his voice shaking from trying to hide his laughter. "But yeah, that's the one."

"Seems like a nice guy" Ezra grinned, "a little bitter, done with everyone's bull-kriff, struts like he's on a catwalk. He reminds me of Kallus."

Whiplash really did laugh at that, out loud and unrestrained. "Jesus Christ, you know what, I'm gonna tell him you said that."

"Oh gods please don't" Ezra chuckled, "he might kill me."

"I won't let him" Whiplash assured his rider with a smile.

They approached the library rapidly. Whiplash swooped up, and landed heavily on the grass. Ezra jumped off, crouching on the ground.

"So if Dyxën is leading Gold Squadron, what's your plan?"

"My plan?"

Ezra waved a hand towards him as they walked towards the massive building. "For the future? If you aren't in control of a squadron...or can you take back the lead of your team?"

Whiplash's horns rotated, a subconscious thing he did when he was thinking. "I...I don't really know, I've never really thought about my future after I rejoined the Rebellion."

"But you have thought about it?"

"Well yeah, before you guys came back to recruit us, my plan was pretty straight forward."

"Oh? Do tell."

"Climb the ranks, make my mark on Kabera, serve for good few years then settle."

Ezra jabbed Whiplash's side with a grin. "Settle? With Colour Fly I'm assuming? Cute plan Whiplash."

Whiplash rolled his eyes and nudged him back. "Why do I tell you things?"

"Cause you looooove me" Ezra batted his eyelashes.

Whiplash took Ezra's head in his claws, lightly shoving him away. "Reconsidering that."

Ezra gasped in mock offence, hand pressed to his chest. "You wound me."

"Bite me."

Ezra laughed, punching Whiplash's shoulder.

"Woah, easy there" Whiplash chuckled, "you could hurt me."

"Good."

They got to the base of the stairs of the library when the massive doors opened. A sleek, red dragon with black spikes stepped out from the library and paused at the top of the stairs, looking down at the pair of them. Whiplash stopped in his tracks, Ezra coming to a halt beside him.

Ezra felt anxiety suddenly roll off of Whiplash is waves. He looked up at his up friend but Whiplash's gaze was locked to the dragon in the entrance.

The dragon looked a little surprised to see Whiplash, then his eyelids dropped to give a dry glare.

"Whiplash" he said, voice slightly accented. "What are you doing here?"

"Could ask you the same thing Jasper" Whiplash replied, stepping a little forward to keep Ezra behind him.

Jasper's golden pupils flicked over to the boy, his eyes widening a little. "Who's the kid?"

Ezra stepped out from behind Whiplash. "Um, hi? I'm Ezra."

Jasper studied Ezra for a moment with a chilling look that made Ezra's skin crawl. He then glanced to Whiplash, specifically his shoulder. "Ah, so you actually got bonded to someone."

"Yes" Whiplash replied stiffly.

"Surprising" Jasper said, "considering you're a varmint, but I suppose a runt can still find a master."

Whiplash's tail spikes clicked but he only glowered at the older dragon.
Ezra took in Whiplash's slightly hunched body language and felt his anger. Dejection was starting to cloak Whiplash's aura, cold seeping into the bond.

"Hey." Ezra stepped forward, "don't talk to him like that."

Jasper regarded Ezra for a moment then stepped down the stairs. He stood in front of the boy, towering but Ezra stood firm.

"I know who you are boy" Jasper rumbled, "you're Fawn's bother."

"Yeah, what about it?" Ezra glared.

"You're a street rat" Jasper told him, "I am the son of the strongest dragon this planet has, so you'll keep your mouth shut if you know what's good for you. I've killed your kind before, I won't hesitate to again, rebellion or empire."

He looked to Whiplash. "Figures you'd be bonded to a creature as low as yourself."

Whiplash glowered but didn't make a move.

Jasper's nostrils flared and he walked from Whiplash, slamming his shoulder against the younger's as he passed. He took flight a little way away, heading for the training arena.

"God, he is such a prick" Ezra growled, then looked to Whiplash.

He was staring at the ground, posture still enclosed and rigid. Ezra pressed his hand against Whiplash's leg making him flinch and look down at him.

"You okay?" Ezra asked.

Whiplash shook his head.

"Why was he so aggressive towards you?" Ezra said before he could help himself.

Whiplash sighed heavily. "Jasper has always had it out for me, tried to kill me more than once, he almost succeeded when I was ten."

"Ten?" Ezra stared.

"Yeah, he really hates me."

"But why?"

Whiplash sighed again, starting to walk up the stairs. "I'm a hybrid, so is Jasper, but because I'm part Shadow Wing, and quite possibly part Ritchemprea, people saw more potential in me."

"So he thinks you stole his spotlight?"

"Pretty much."

"But- But that's not fair, you had no control over that!" Ezra exclaimed.

"I know, but Jasper doesn't care."

Whiplash pushed the doors open, holding them for Ezra to go through first. "He's always been jealous, and it didn't help that his dad asked me to be a part of diamond squadron before he was."

"Well yeah that would-" Ezra froze. He rounded on Whiplash, staring. "You told me Tellun asked you to be part of Diamond Squadron."

"Yeah."

"Tellun is Jasper's dad?"

"Yep."

"So Jasper is your cousin!?"

"Ding ding ding" Whiplash mumbled monotone, walking deeper into the library.

"But that's- I- you're telling me- oh my god-" Ezra sputtered, "he called you a varmint!"

"He's called me way worse" Whiplash replied.

"Haven't you told someone?"

"No, Jasper hates me, I don't like him, but he's respected, acts professionally around other people. If I were to tell someone, they'd think I was lying."

"But I saw what happened-"

"Ezra" Whiplash looked over at him, a tired look in his eyes. "I appreciate the concern, but I've endured this almost my whole life, it doesn't bother me as much anymore."

"But-"

"Just...drop it, please Ezra?"

Ezra tried to form a sentence of how ridiculous Whiplash was being but the look in his best friend's eyes made him cave. "...Fine."

"Thank you."

"Ezra! Whiplash! That you two!?" Fawn's voice came from above.

"Yeah we're here Fawn!" Whiplash called back.

"Took you long enough, come up! I need your help!"

Whiplash motioned to the stairs. "Come on Ez, better not keep her waiting."

Ezra hesitated then sighed. "Yeah...okay." 

Did I just create an absolute asshole of a dragon? Yes, yes I did. 

Jasper is actually one of my favourite dragons that I've created, you can expect to see more of him in the future  >:D

And if you couldn't tell, I really love Logan, I wanted him to have a brotherly relationship with Ezra, that poor boy needs time to be a kid 

Anyways, sorry for the slow updates, I'm really trying to get these out more but my creativity is struggling at the moment

Any kinds of feedback or suggestions would be appreciated 

Thanks for reading, and I hope to see you again soon

- Star-Wars-Dragons